Flight Safety Information April 30, 2015 - No. 084 In This Issue Germanwings Pilot Andreas Lubitz's Mental Health Was Questioned By FAA 2010 Navy rules jet crash an accident NTSB begins investigation into STAR Flight nurse Kristin McLain's death SMOKE CONDITION ON PLANE CANCELS FLIGHT AT NEWARK AIRPORT Granite Bay man sentenced to prison for recklessly endangering aircraft (California) Two Survive Plane Crash In Black Forest (Colorado Springs, CO) Jet fuel causes cell damage: study PROS 2015 TRAINING Airbus keeps targets, considers buyback as jet programmes on track Germanwings Crash Looms Large at Lufthansa Shareholders Meeting Qatar Airways takes delivery of four aircraft in one day Innovative Mexican Designed Aircraft..."Oaxaca Aerospace" Research Request GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Upcoming Events JOBS AVAILABLE (New Position) Germanwings Pilot Andreas Lubitz's Mental Health Was Questioned By FAA 2010 AP | By By JOAN LOWY WASHINGTON (AP) - Five years ago Federal Aviation Administration officials questioned the mental fitness of the Germanwings pilot who crashed an airliner in the French Alps last month, but they awarded him a U.S. pilot license after his German doctor said he had fully recovered from severe depression, government records show. The records, posted online by the FAA in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, show Andreas Lubitz applied for a U.S. pilot license while he was employed by Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, and was training to be an airline pilot at a flight school in Phoenix in 2010. As part of the application, he initially submitted a medical form to the FAA asserting he had no mental disorders. He then resubmitted the form acknowledging he had been treated for severe depression from 2008 to 2009. The FAA initially sent Lubitz a letter warning that his license application could be denied and giving him 30 days to provide a letter from his doctor describing his treatment and his current condition. The license was granted after he provided letters from his doctor describing his treatment and saying he had recovered. Lubitz had suffered an episode of severe depression because he was unable to cope with "modified living conditions," according to the letters. Lubitz was treated with two drugs, Cipralex and Mirtazapin, which, along with therapy, "enabled him to develop sufficient resources for getting on with similar situations in the future," the doctor, whose name was blacked out by the FAA, said in one letter. Prosecutors believe Lubitz intentionally crashed Germanwings Flight 9525 while flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf on March 24. Cockpit voice recordings indicate Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit after he had left. The captain can be heard on the recordings demanding to be let back in and trying to break down the door. Lubitz and all 149 others on board the plane were killed in the crash. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/29/germanwings-andreas-lubitz-mental-health- faa_n_7175134.html Back to Top Navy rules jet crash an accident One jet collided with other just after takeoff from carrier Carl Vinson FILE-This April 7, 2003 file photo a deck crew member of the USS Carl Vinson guides an F/A-18C Hornet during a take-off and landing exercise of fighter jets during the aircraft carrier's operation off the western Pacific Ocean. Two U.S. Navy jets similar to the one pictured crashed into the western Pacific Ocean, where one pilot was rescued and another was missing, the Pentagon said Friday, Sept. 12, 2014. A search for the missing pilot was underway. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi,File) The fatal collision of two Navy F/A-18 fighters jets in September has been ruled an accident, according to a Navy investigation released to U-T San Diego this week. On Sept. 12, two Hornet jets took off from the San Diego aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which was in the vicinity of the Marshall Islands for international exercises. The jets launched within a minute of each other. Upon takeoff, they both ascended and turned to the west. Then the plane piloted by Lt. Nathan Poloski, a 26-year-old native of Lake Arrowhead, came up under the bottom left rear of the other jet, causing a collision, according to the report. The pilot of the other jet didn't realize he'd been hit. He ejected after his plane caught fire and become uncontrollable. Both crashed into the ocean. The other pilot -- who was not named in the report -- was recovered safely but with injuries. Poloski's body was never found. Searchers did retrieve his cracked and battered helmet. Both he and the other pilot were considered competent aviators with the proper qualifications in their records. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/apr/29/hornet-crash-carl-vinson-accident/ Back to Top NTSB begins investigation into STAR Flight nurse Kristin McLain's death AUSTIN (KXAN) - "It's shaken us to the core," STAR Flight director Casey Ping said as he described the impact the death of Kristin McLain has had on the STAR Flight team. Ping spoke as part a news conference Wednesday addressing Monday night's tragedy. Rescuers were attempting to help a woman on a cliff in the Barton Creek Greenbelt but were having difficulty finding her, so they called in STAR Flight. McLain was part of a flight crew that was using bright lights and night vision when they found the patient. McLain was lowered down to the patient and helped prepare her for transit via helicopter. STAR Flight crews radioed for help, indicating something was wrong. Rescue crews on the ground found McLain, who had severe injuries, and tried to resuscitate her. She was pronounced dead at the scene, ATCEMS Chief Ernesto Rodriguez said. "It's devastating," Ping added. "We've lost a close friend, a good colleague, and caused a lot of pain and suffering for family." The director said counseling has started for STAR Flight team members and the ground crew who responded to the incident. In the last three years, there have been 61 emergency calls in the greenbelt, 23 of which STAR Flight responded to. Emergency officials on Wednesday dismissed the idea that STAR Flight is used too much in these situations. An investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board outlined his investigative process saying he will look at "man, machine and environment." "There's a process, and we investigate each area independently," Craig Hatch told the media. He began interviewing crewmembers involved in the accident as the "man" portion of the investigation. The NTSB is also reviewing crew training records as part of the investigation. The NTSB will be examining the helicopter, the hoist that was being used when McLain fell, as well as her harness as part of the "machine" portion of the investigation. Lastly, the investigators will look at weather conditions and the terrain involved at the time of the crash. Video from the recording systems on the STAR Flight helicopter has been turned over to the NTSB and will be sent to labs in Washington, D.C. to be reviewed. NTSB timeline A preliminary report of the NTSB's investigation is expected to be complete within five- to 10 days. From there, a factual report will be completed in the next 10- to 12 months - with a final report due in about a year, Hatch said. While the NTSB conducts its investigation, Ping also says there will be an internal investigation. "I think everything is on the table," said Ping. "Everything will be reviewed." http://kxan.com/2015/04/29/ntsb-begins-investigation-into-star-flight-nurse-kristin-mclains-death/ Back to Top SMOKE CONDITION ON PLANE CANCELS FLIGHT AT NEWARK AIRPORT NEWARK -- An overseas flight that was about to take off from Newark Liberty International Airport was aborted when someone on another plane saw smoke coming from aircraft. No injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred around 6:10 p.m. Wednesday. Port Authority Police spokesman Joe Pentangelo says the United Airlines plane - headed for Amsterdam with 135 passengers on board - was on a taxi way, waiting in line to depart. But someone on the plane right behind it saw smoke coming from the left main gear and alerted the police. Pentangelo says the smoke condition apparently occurred near the plane's brakes, but further details were not immediately available. http://7online.com/news/smoke-condition-on-plane-cancels-flight-at-newark-airport-/687872/ Back to Top Granite Bay man sentenced to prison for recklessly endangering aircraft (California) Former operations manager helmed Lincoln-based company Weco Aerospace Systems Granite Bay resident Edward Kuwata, the former operations manager of Weco Aerospace Systems, Inc., was sentenced Tuesday to one year in prison for conspiracy to destroy aircraft or aircraft facilities, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner. According to the news release, Weco was a Federal Aviation Administration-certified repair business with facilities in Lincoln and Burbank, permitted by the FAA to repair specific parts on various kinds of aircraft, including small helicopters used by tour companies and law enforcement agencies. An investigation by the Department of Transportation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense found that Weco's employees regularly failed to follow FAA regulations in their work and often lacked the equipment needed to conduct mandatory tests, though the employees signed off on paperwork to the contrary. The news release said there have been no known aircraft accidents on account of this negligence, but Weco customers who testified in court said that they removed all Weco-repaired parts from their aircraft once they found out they'd been defrauded. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John Mendez pointed out that Kuwata, 64, never notified the FAA of the fraud. According to the news release, a federal jury had previously found Granite Bay resident and Weco owner William Hugh Weygandt, 65, guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud involving aircraft repair. He was sentenced July 8, 2014 to 18 months in prison, and two other Weco executives - Michael Maupin of Arbuckle and Anthony Zito of Saugus - await sentencing for federal offenses after pleading guilty to their own involvement in the conspiracy. http://www.thepresstribune.com/article/4/29/15/granite-bay-man-sentenced-prison-recklessly- endangering-aircraft Back to Top Two Survive Plane Crash In Black Forest (Colorado Springs, CO) "Extremely lucky," authorities marveled after two men walked away from a plane crash in Black Forest Wednesday night. A witness to the crash called 911 after seeing a plane "spiraling down" just after 6:30 p.m., according to El Paso County sheriff's deputy Robert Stone. The plane crashed in a large gully not far from Milam and Shoup, and was at least 500 yards from the nearest home. The single-engine plane was a total loss; the 35-year-old pilot and 18-year-old passenger walked away with little more than bumps and bruises. "The tail has broken off, the wings are bent out of shape, the engine separated from the aircraft. I am extremely surprised they were able to walk away from the crash," Stone told 11 News. According to pilot Matt Tanner, he had rented the plane for the day and was demonstrating a stall to passenger Issac Brumm when the plane went into an upright spin and crashed upside down. Tanner said his faith in Jesus and thoughts of his family are what carried him through that terrifying minute they were going down. Tanner and Brumm were at least 4,500 feet off the ground when the plane started having problems. Tanner told 11 News that he has been in spins like the one Wednesday thousands of times before, and he knew what what happening and took the steps to recover, but the plane wouldn't respond. The FAA is now taking over the investigation into the crash. http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/Single-Engine-Plane-Crash-301766291.html *************** Date: 29-APR-2015 Time: 18:30 Type: Airplane Owner/operator: Registration: C/n / msn: Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 Other fatalities: 0 Airplane damage: Substantial Location: Black Forest, NE of USAF Academy Airfield (KAFF), Colorado Springs, CO - United States of America Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) Nature: Training Departure airport: Destination airport: Narrative: The aircraft departed controlled flight and impacted mountenous terrain in the Black Forest area northeast of the USAF Academy Airfield (KAFF), Colorado Springs, Colorado. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the two occupants onboard received minor injuries. www.aviation-safety.net Back to Top Jet fuel causes cell damage: study A RAAF F/A-18A Hornet aircraft air to air refuels. Air force jet fuel can damage human cells with unknown effects, a defence-funded study has found. Source: AAP AIR force jet fuel can damage human body cells with unknown long-term effects, a defence-funded study has found. THAT principally stems from the kerosene component of JP8, used to power RAAF jet aircraft and also most aircraft and many vehicles including tanks operated by the US military. Dr Ian Gardner, Defence senior physician in occupational and environmental medicine, said this independent study, conducted by the Mater Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, used the latest medical research technology to examine molecular and genetic aspects of cell biology. "The study found small but persistent cellular effects many years after exposure," he said in a statement. The study said longer term clinical significance of such changes in cellular function was currently unknown. Reassuringly, it found no evidence of genetic or chromosome damage which could lead to cancer. The $3 million Jet Fuel Exposure Study was launched in 2010, with then Veterans Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon saying it could have major implications for the world aviation industry and others involved in handling chemicals such as solvents. It arose out of the RAAF's controversial deseal-reseal program in which workers were exposed to a range of chemicals and solvents while working inside the fuel tanks of F-111 aircraft. That program was conducted from 1973 to 2000. A defence inquiry found many suffered from a range of health problems including lung disease, erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety and memory impairment allegedly stemming from exposure to chemicals. The former Labor government launched a $55 million health and compensation package for affected workers. Although specific solvents used in the deseal-reseal program were billed as prime causes of worker ill- health, the jet fuel study found they actually demonstrated significantly less toxicity than jet fuel components. However, toxicity increased when solvents and fuel were mixed. The new study raises the prospect that many more defence personnel could now seek compensation . RAAF chief Air Marshal Geoff Brown said it was important to provide serving and former personnel with the most up-to-date health information. "Our people are our most important asset and I will continue to implement practical measures such as safe work processes and the use of protective equipment to minimise exposure to JP8 jet fuel," he said in a statement. http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/jet-fuel-causes-cell-damage-study/story-e6frfku9- 1227328742087 Back to Top Back to Top Airbus keeps targets, considers buyback as jet programmes on track * First quarter operating profit dips * CFO says decision on share buyback to be made in autumn * Shares rise 1.3 percent (Adds comments from CFO, shares) PARIS/BERLIN, April 30 (Reuters) - Airbus Group said it would make a decision in the autumn on a share buyback programme after reporting its main commercial jet programmes were on track and confirming its full-year guidance on Thursday. Europe's largest aerospace group said it was pushing ahead with a production increase for its new A350 jet and that its revamped A320neo remained on schedule. The A380 superjumbo will break even as planned this year, it said in a statement, as it posted in-line first quarter results. After a boom in jet demand that accounts for the bulk of a roughly $1 trillion stockpile of orders on the European company's books, Airbus and U.S. rival Boeing are increasingly focusing on how to achieve higher production goals. Airbus will ask shareholders at its annual meeting on May 27 for permission to buy back up to 10 percent of its share capital. Chief Financial Officer Harald Wilhelm said the company would come back to this issue in the autumn, once it has more clarity on divestments and production plans. Shares in Airbus were up 1.3 percent at 0724 GMT, outperforming a 0.2 percent fall for leading European shares . First-quarter revenue fell 5 percent to 12.078 billion euros ($13.4 billion) due to lower commercial plane deliveries that were partially offset by the impact of a weaker euro. Operating income before one-off items fell 7 percent to 651 million euros. Analysts had on average predicted operating profit of 647 million euros on revenue of 12.6 billion. BACKLOADED DELIVERIES Commercial jet deliveries are expected to be "backloaded" towards the later part of the year, Airbus said. It delivered just one A350 jet in the first quarter but this was in line with contracted delivery dates, Wilhelm said, confirming a target to deliver 15 of the widebodies this year. Airbus logged 134 plane deliveries in the first quarter, compared with 141 in the year-ago period. Free cashflow swung to a positive 452 million euros in the first quarter from a negative 2.034 billion, swelled by the sale of part of Airbus's stake in Dassault Aviation. Wilhelm said Airbus would be looking to sell more of its remaining stake in Dassault once a lock-up period expires towards the end of this year. Airbus said that based on its current view of production it would achieve breakeven in free cashflow in 2015 before mergers and acquisitions. For 2015, Airbus also expects slightly higher deliveries and a higher order book. It sees higher revenue and a slight increase in core operating income before mergers and acquisitions. Boeing last week said first-quarter net income rose to $1.34 billion from $965 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 8 percent to $22.15 billion. ($1 = 0.9016 euros) (Additional reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by James Regan and Vincent Baby) http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/30/airbus-outlook-idUSL5N0XR0ML20150430 Back to Top Germanwings Crash Looms Large at Lufthansa Shareholders Meeting HAMBURG, Germany - It was a shareholders meeting in which business, inevitably, was only part of the agenda. Five weeks after a Germanwings co-pilot crashed his plane into the French Alps, killing himself and 149 others, the disaster continues to cast a long shadow over the airline's parent company, Lufthansa, as well as its employees, customers and investors. "This tragedy has changed us, and the scars that it has left on our company will remain forever," Carsten Spohr, the group's chief executive, told the 2,000 shareholders who gathered in this northern port city. Outside the city's conference center, a column of Lufthansa banners bearing a black-and-white version of the company's crane logo fluttered in a steady wind. Inside, a stark memorial stood in the reception hall, where 150 candles flickered, and where many arriving investors had paused to add their names to condolence books. Attendees observed a minute of silence was before the meeting was called to order. Yet at a time when Lufthansa faces urgent commercial challenges - including heightened competition in Europe and on long-haul routes, as well as tensions with the group's 5,400 pilots - many shareholders expressed concern on Wednesday that the Germanwings tragedy risked distracting management from its turnaround efforts. A Lufthansa jet on the tarmac at the Frankfurt airport. Shareholders on Wednesday expressed concern that the Germanwings tragedy risked distracting Lufthansa's management from its turnaround efforts. Credit Fredrik Von Erichsen/European Pressphoto Agency "Obviously, without this tragedy, management would probably be under more intense pressure from all of us today," said Ingo Speich, a portfolio manager at Union Investment, a Frankfurt firm. "But at some point, they will have to come back to reality," he said. He added: "And that reality, frankly, is not very pleasant." Since taking over as chief executive of Lufthansa in May, Mr. Spohr, 48, has struggled to put the sprawling group - besides Germanwings, it includes Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Airlines - back on a path to growth. Net profit shrank last year to 55 million euros, or $60 million, from €313 million in 2013, on revenue that was basically unchanged at €30 million. That weak performance, combined with mounting pension liabilities and investment losses, prompted the board in February to suspend its dividend payout, in order to reinvest in improvements to its fleet and services. Until now, Lufthansa has responded to intensifying competition from no-frills airlines like EasyJet and Ryanair by shifting an ever-greater share of the group's domestic and European traffic to Germanwings, whose labor and other operating costs are about one-third that of Lufthansa's. Late last year, Lufthansa's board approved plans to extend the budget concept to include a number of long-haul leisure destinations. Beginning in October, the group plans to start flights from Cologne/Bonn Airport to destinations in Thailand, Dubai and the Caribbean under its second low-cost brand, Eurowings. As part of that transition, the Germanwings name will eventually disappear, to be rechristened under a unified Eurowings banner. But those efforts have been met with firm resistance from the group's pilots. Attempts to freeze salaries and scale back an early-retirement deal for pilots, alongside changes to pay and working conditions, were at the heart of the series of strikes by Lufthansa's pilots over the past year that cost the group more than €230 million. Continue reading the main storyContinue reading the main story In the wake of the Germanwings crash, pilots agreed to suspend more strikes that had been planned this spring. And on Wednesday, Mr. Spohr proposed bringing the dispute to an external mediator for resolution. "I think that's a positive signal," said Mr. Speich, the fund manager. "I hope it's a chance for the company to move closer together, to work more constructively toward solutions." Still, Lufthansa's pilots are not the only ones uneasy about Lufthansa's embrace of the low-cost sector. "I don't see how this low-cost strategy makes any logical sense," said Markus Neumann, who sits on the board of SdK, a German shareholder activist group, and who abstained Wednesday from endorsing management's program. "I think there needs to be a fundamental strategic rethink." He added that the carrier should maintain a substantial presence in airline catering and maintenance, which remain respectably profitable, and that "Lufthansa, in my view, can only succeed as a premium airline." Despite the revelations that Lufthansa knew six years ago that the 27-year-old Germanwings co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, had a history of severe depression, Mr. Neumann said he was confident that the crash would not have a long-lasting impact on the airline's image with passengers. In recent weeks, a task force made of German aviation, medical and government experts has held the first of a series of meetings aimed at clarifying what led to the Germanwings crash and how it might have been averted. Two working groups have been formed. The first is charged with exploring possible changes to secured cockpit doors and their use, taking into account that Mr. Lubitz was able to deliberately crash the airliner after locking out the pilot. The second task force is reviewing current standards of medical oversight of pilots and the exchange of information between doctors, the authorities and the airlines. That group hopes to publish an initial progress report at some point in June. Any final recommendations made will be discussed first at the European level, then an international one. "I think this tragedy will be viewed as a singular event," said Mr. Neumann, the shareholder activist. "It may have some short-term effect on bookings, but over the long run, Lufthansa can still rely on its well- earned reputation as one of the world's safest airlines." Not all the shareholders on Wednesday, however, were finding it easy to look ahead. "I can't stop thinking of all those people, particularly the children, and their final minutes," said Ralf Schönfeld, a 49-year-old banker and father of four who had driven in from Schwerin, about an hour east of Hamburg. Mr. Schönfeld said he hoped the crash would prompt a close re-evaluation of Lufthansa's procedures for pilot selection and training, as well as a deeper examination in Germany and elsewhere of what changes should be made to better identify pilots with serious mental health problems and how to prevent sick pilots from flying. "I think it's important that we not simply try to assign blame or call for someone's resignation," said Mr. Schönfeld, who was visibly moved as he signed his name to a condolence book. "That cannot be the goal." http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/30/business/germanwings-crash-looms-large-at-lufthansa- shareholders-meeting.html?_r=0 Back to Top Qatar Airways takes delivery of four aircraft in one day Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Chairman of Al Maha Airways Akbar Al Baker and Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier at the handover ceremony. DOHA: Qatar Airways Group has set a new industry record, with taking delivery of four new Al Maha aircraft to Doha in just one day, from aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The new A320 aircraft were inaugurated at a signing ceremony at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse, between Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Chairman of Al Maha Airways, Akbar Al Baker and Airbus CEO, Fabrice Brégier. The four latest generation A320 aircraft, which carry the green Al Maha livery, will join the Qatar Airways' fleet and operate on the airline's key destinations across the Middle East, prior to the commencement of operations of Al Maha Airways. The new airline, which will be an independent airline based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will operate an expanding fleet of aircraft, featuring the distinctive and familiar Oryx livery. "It is a moment of significant pride to be welcoming the first aircraft of the new Al Maha Airways fleet, let alone four such aircraft in the same day. Featuring the distinctive new livery of Al Maha Airways, these new A320 aircraft will offer passengers the opportunity to travel on board the latest and most modern aircraft in the skies," said Al Baker. Qatar Airways has one of the world's youngest fleets and continues to invest in next generation aircraft. These four new A320 aircraft, one of the world's most popular product types, feature the latest technology and distinctive Sharklet wingtips, and while leased to Qatar Airways will take the airline's fleet count to 156 aircraft. The new aircraft arrive after a period of significant fleet growth for Qatar Airways, which recently took delivery of the first in its fleet of A380 aircraft and the A350 XWB as Global Launch Customer. Qatar Airways is the first airline in the world to operate every family of Airbus' modern airliner portfolio, comprising the A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 aircraft. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/qatar/335226/qatar-airways-takes-delivery-of-four-aircraft-in-one-day Back to Top Innovative Mexican Designed Aircraft "Oaxaca Aerospace", a company from Oaxaca, Mexico, presented the first modern prototype of a 100% Mexican designed airplane, developed with their own technology. The company stated that the Pegasus PE-210A Project started on 2011 with the goal of making an aircraft with two seats, agile, fast and with low operation costs. The project concluded on 2013, when landing strip tests started. "The idea was to make an innovative plane, completely different from the existing ones, with modern engineering, using last generation software and advanced tools", explained the general manager of the company, Rodrigo Fernandez. "Most of the aircrafts nowadays are designs from the last century, from the 50's, only modifying avionics and motors, but they have not suffered a modification to make them more efficient and aerodynamics" he added. State of Art Techonology To create the airplane, Rodrigo and Raúl Fernández, founders of Oaxaca Aerospace, gathered a team of highly qualified engineers and used state of the art software for designing and modeling, along with simulations and the aerodynamic behavior. According to Rodrigo, the Pegasus PE-210A is different from the actual airplanes in Mexico and the rest of the world because of its wing configuration and its cabin with two seats in tandem with controls on both places. Oaxaca Aerospace expectations are to reach a production of at least 12 aircrafts by the year 2019. Oaxaca Aerospace Pegasus PE-210A (Photo: yucatan.com.mx) Oaxaca Aerospace Project For this project, the Company Oaxaca Aerospace received support from CONACYT (National Council for Science and Technology) to develop an airplane wing with an extensible section that will allow a greater lift at lower speed. Clients The Company is considering the Armed Forces and police corps, from Mexico and other Countries of the Americas as potential customers; as well as amateur and private pilots all over the world. Special Features The back seat is at a different height from the front seat, with a measure to improve the copilot's isoptic. It has a vision of 300 vertical and 240 horizontal grades. Its motor is acrobatic. - Source: http://yucatan.com.mx/ http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2015/04/34434/ Back to Top Research Request Research Request for Pilots Assistance in Validating a Prototype Knowledge & Competency Exam The Center for Aviation Safety Research (CASR) at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO (USA) requests your help recruiting volunteers to validate a new exam they have just created to test pilot's knowledge in certain topic areas. Professional Aviation Board of Certification (PABC) is a recruiter and registrar for this research effort and we hope you will: (1) take the exam yourself, (2) invite your fellow pilots to take it, or (3) both. Please note: All testing must be completed by May 29, 2015. * Qualifications to Participate - Pilots who hold current Commercial Licenses / Certificates with Instrument Ratings and higher, including: o A Multi-crew Pilot License (MPL) or ATP-level license with type ratings on modern jet transport aircraft o Retired ATP-holders who currently serve as Type Rating Instructors/Evaluators or Simulator Instructors/Evaluators. * This Exam is: o For research by CASR, with the pilots' answers kept anonymous and the study findings only showing data in aggregate form. o Conducted on a computer in testing centers located around the world. o Taken at a time and place that are convenient for each individual pilot. o Free - no cost to the pilot. o Expected to be completed in 1-3 hrs, but allow 4 hrs if needed. o To support follow-on research on aviation training, testing and safety. * In Return - Volunteers will not be paid, but will be given a letter of appreciation by PABC for their contribution to the vital air safety study. If you are willing to serving as a volunteer, please email the Registrar at: pjwolfe@pabc.aero If you know of other pilots who might be interested and willing, please pass this notice on to them. Thank you in advance for considering this request Pete Peter J. Wolfe, PABC Executive Director & Exam Registrar PO Box 58250, Houston, TX 77258 (O) +1 281-326-3938 Skype: pjwolfe pjwolfe@pabc.aero Back to Top GRADUATE RESEARCH SURVEY REQUEST Hello, you are receiving this message as a courtesy to Mr. Hussain Alhallaf, a Ph.D. candidate at Florida Institute of Technology's doctoral program in Aviation Sciences in the College of Aeronautics. He is examining the relationship between factors affecting the aviation profession and the concept of aviation professionalism, specifically understanding aviation professionalism, and is seeking your assistance to complete an online questionnaire, which would take 10-15 minutes to complete. Mr. Alhallaf endeavors to understand why the aviation profession is such an important career and how can we improve ourselves as professionals within the aviation profession. In addition to taking the survey we also are seeking your generosity in distributing the survey's link. Your assistance and participation are totally appreciated. To participate, you may access the online survey via the following link: http://questionpro.com/t/ALRnkZSa9Y If you have any questions or are unable to distribute the email to your members, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail at halhallaf2014@my.fit.edu or by Cell phone at (386) 847-7671. Thank you for your cooperation. Yours faithfully, Hussain Alhallaf Ph.D. candidate in Aviation Sciences Back To The Top Upcoming Events: ERAU Advanced Aircraft Accident Investigation Seminar Prescott Campus, AZ May 4-8, 2015 www.erau.edu/cmas IATA Cabin Operations Safety Conference May 5-7, 2015 Paris, France www.iata.org/cabin-safety-conference ERAU Aviation SMS Seminar Daytona Beach, FL May 12-14, 2015 www.erau.edu/sms Aircraft Accident Investigation - Fire and Material Failures New course offered by BlazeTech Corp. Woburn MA USA 19-21 May 2015 www.blazetech.com Fundamentals of IS-BAH June 15, 2015 St. Hubert, Quebec Canada https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659069 IS-BAH Auditing June 16, 2015 St. Hubert, Quebec Canada https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1659079 6th Pan American Aviation Safety Summit June 22-26th Medellin, Colombia http://www.alta.aero/safety/2015/home.php Fundamentals of IS-BAO April 23, 2015 PCAT Safety Smackdown, San Antonio TX USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657525 IS-BAO Auditing April 24, 2015 PCAT Safety Smackdown, San Antonio TX USA https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1657526 Fundamentals of IS-BAO May 12, 2015 Toluca, Mexico https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1698113 IS-BAO Auditing May 13, 2015 Toluca, Mexico https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=1698115 Back to Top JOBS AVAILABLE: Managing Director, Safety Airlines for America http://airlines.org/careers/ Curt Lewis